Wicca is a pagan nature religion. Believing there is no real separation between self and environment, between races and genders. Wiccans see their world as an incredibly rich and complex interconnected web of which all things are a part.

This view of interconnectedness empowers the individual as an agent of change. As part of the web, we are able to effect subtle changes within it- changes that help to bring it back into balance again.

Wicca is a philosophy connecting the worlds of myth and reality, heaven and earth, life and death, person and planet. It is a belief system that is inclusive rather than exclusive, life-affirming rather than self-denying, cyclic rather than linear.

Wicca is a joyous creed. Wiccans delight in the world and their involvement in it, on all levels. They enjoy their own minds and in relating on all the planes with fellow creatures and with the Earth itself. Wiccan ethics are positive rather than prohibitive.

The morality of Wicca is far more concerned with “blessed is he who...” rather than with “thou shalt not...”. To Wiccans, self-development and full realisation of one’s unique yet multi-faceted potential is a moral duty. When you change yourself, the world around you changes. Wiccans do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as Satan or the Devil, as defined by the Christian tradition.

Wiccans do not seek power through the sufferings of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another. These “dark witches”, whatever they choose to call themselves, are not Wiccans.

Wicca is recognised and protected by the South African Constitution under the Freedom of Religion Act. There are many different traditions (sects) of Wicca; Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Seax and Eclectic. Eclectic Wicca consists of individuals who have studied most of the Wiccan traditions available, and have come away with the aspects they find best suited to them, stylising Wicca to complement the individual. It becomes a living philosophy.

Wiccans believe in reincarnation, revere nature, are environmentalists, revere a multifarious concept of deity and incorporate ritual magick into their celebration or prayer. Wiccans believe that everything is connected to everything else. Animals and plants, social and environmental issues, thoughts, actions and events are all inter-connected through an inseparable web of life.

Anything that affects one part of the web will in some way affect all the other parts. This includes the connection between the planes of mind, body and spirit. Our actions, conscious or not, have an effect on the world around us. Wiccans choose, through ritual, to make conscious the connection between self and environment, action and event. They also believe that everything is cyclic, and do not view their lives, events or world in a linear timeframe.

As the Earth is round and the seasons repeat again and again, everything is seen as a spiral of cyclic energy. The world has natural limits that must be respected. The Earth is a living deity, a planetary being that is conscious and self-regulating. They seek to align their will with the greater will of the planet and the deities of worship.

Deity exists in everything. If we abuse or pollute ourselves, each other, the Earth, or the creatures, we are abusing Divinity itself. Wiccans believe that the deities and spirits come in many forms, from ancient deities of cosmic proportion, the God and Goddess, Angels, ascended Masters, to the nature spirits and elementals of the four directions and elements such as faeries, plant devas, salamanders, undines and sylphs. 

Together, the God and Goddess form the interpenetrating duality that is the constant field of creation. An androgynous Source of all Creation. Their most basic honouring comes through the simple recognition of their presence within all people and within all things. We are all Goddess. We are all God.

The Goddess is revered in all three her aspects; Goddess of Birth, Love and Death (Maiden, Mother and Crone). The God is her companion, the Hunter. They are twin Divine beings, balanced and equal expressions of the ultimate All That Is. One does not exist without the other.

The Goddess embodies Creation (egg/womb) and the God embodies manifestation (seed). The God and Goddess are not distant and domineering. The Sun showers Mother Earth with his seed in a continual stream, from which we grow. All live in His light. The Goddess is passionate and nurturing, she provides us with all that we require, it is from Her that all things proceed and it is to Her that all things must return. I re-iterate that the concept of God and Goddess varies between individuals. 

The one and only rule Wicca has is, “do what you will and harm none”. This is meant to discourage misuse of power. We have the power to change the circumstances around us and along with personal empowerment comes personal responsibility. If we can affect the world around us by our very thoughts and actions, then we need to be conscious of all that we do.

Wiccans do not manipulate the free will of others. However they have the right to defend themselves with defensive magick if attacked psychically by another. Wiccans can cast spells for others if asked- the nature of the workings at each individual’s discretion.  Wiccans honour the four directions through correspondence with the four basic elements; earth (which brings us grounding and stability), water (which brings us healing and cleansing), fire (which gives us energy and power) and air which gives us clarity. The fifth element is Spirit. Celebration and prayer occurs in a “Circle”, which is often held outside in Nature.

Wiccans shun the idea of hierarchy, every person is a priest or priestess. Those who lead and teach others the Craft are recognised as High Priests or Priestesses. They are interested in the transformation of consciousness for the greater good. They constantly work on themselves and ask for guidance from Spirit. They are both teacher and eternal student. People come to the practice of Wicca for many different reasons.

No one “converts” to Wicca- essentially one feels “Oh! I always believed that. I just didn’t know it had a name!”